How Convenient
by angelmoonlight
Summary: Misty gets stung by a Beedrill and Ash has to try and take care of her. AAMRN. *cough*repetetivetheme*cough*


How Convenient…

Disclaimer:  I don't own Pokémon.  I only own Ash, Misty and Brock.  No wait…sorry, I don't own them either.  Umm…but I do own…*looks around*…this!  This beautiful, beautiful optical mouse!  …Actually, I don't like it that much…just like this story!  …But anyway…

A/N:  I wrote this cuz…I dunno, I just did.  It popped into my head and I couldn't get it out, so I had to write it down.  Sorry if it's one of those repetitive themes, or not any good, but it's like 4 am so gimme a break, k?  lol

"Eeeeeek!"  Misty exclaimed as a Caterpie lazily crawled past her.  She ran to hide behind a tree.  "Why do _I_ have to go gather wood, while Ash gets to sit around and do nothing!  This is stupid!"  She sighed in frustration and continued on, knowing that if she didn't bring back some kindling, they would have to eat an uncooked meal.

Misty walked along boredly, picking up the odd twig, snapping it in half, and tossing it back on the ground.  "There's no way a campfire will burn on these little things…but there aren't any bigger sticks around."  Then she got an idea.  "Staryu!"  She shouted as she threw a pokéball into the air.  "Do you think you could use your water gun to try and shake loose some branches in this tree?"  Staryu shot a water gun attack at the tree…a little harder than necessary, knocking out several dead branches.

"All right!  This'll be more than enough!  Thanks, Staryu!  Return!"  Staryu was enveloped in a soft red light and drawn back into the pokéball, which Misty then replaced in her backpack.  She went to pick up the branches and thought she heard a low droning sound.  "What is that?"  She wondered allowed.  Her question was soon answered as she saw several black and yellow figures descend from the tree.  Misty's face turned pale as she instantly realized what they were.

She didn't hold back her scream as she ran blindly away from the Beedrill.  She fumbled around in her backpack for a pokéball, but it only slowed her down.  Not concentrating on where she was going, she tripped over a tree root and fell.  The Beedrill soon had her surrounded.  Not knowing what else to do, Misty screamed for help.

***

Ash lay on his back, completely absorbed in his Pokémon magazine when Brock's voice brought him out of his focus.  "Misty sure has been gone a long time."  Ash looked at his watch.  "Hey, you're right…"  "Maybe you'd better go look for her, Ash," Brock suggested.  "Yeah…" Ash agreed.  "C'mon Pikachu."  The small yellow rodent hopped onto its trainer's shoulder as he walked toward the woods.

"Miiiiiiiiiiistyyyyyyyyy!"  Ash whined, after only ten minutes of searching.  "She's gotta be out here some—"  He was interrupted by a scream.  "Found her!"  Ash exclaimed as he took off at a dead run, Pikachu right behind him.  Before long, they discovered the reason for Misty's screams.  She was on the ground, completely surrounded by Beedrill, holding up her arms in an attempt to defend herself.  "Pikachu, thunder!"  Ash yelled.  Within seconds, the Pokémon were hit by a wave of electricity and were scared away.  Ash ran over to where Misty lay.

"It's okay Misty, they're gone now."  Misty moaned, but didn't get up.  "…Misty?"  Then he saw it; a huge gash where a poison sting had hit her in the arm.  "No…" He whispered.  With Pikachu's help, Ash managed to get Misty onto his back and hurried back to camp as fast as he could.

***

After waiting quite some time for Ash and Misty's return, Brock was just about to go look for them himself, when he heard Ash yell.

"Brock!"

Brock rushed over to Ash and helped him place Misty on her sleeping bag.  "What happened?" He asked.  "She got stung by a Beedrill," Ash said breathlessly.  "Oh no…" Brock replied helplessly.  He bent down to examine her.  "This looks bad…and she's already running a fever.  If I leave now, I can probably be in the next town by morning.  Then I can get an antidote.  Look after her while I'm gone, Ash.  Keep a cold compress on her head to keep the fever down and make sure she eats something when she wakes up…if she wakes up."  Ash nodded.  "She'll be okay, won't she Brock?"  "If she doesn't get the antidote within twenty-four hours…she could die…"  With that, Brock grabbed his backpack and ran.

Ash turned pale upon hearing Brock's words.  His mind filled with thoughts.  "_No…Misty can't die…of course she won't.  That's ridiculous…_"

"Dammit!"  He yelled out loud, making Pikachu jump.  "Why didn't I go with her?!"  Ash felt tears gather in his eyes.  "She's my best friend…this is all my fault!"  He sunk to the ground beside her.  Pikachu jumped in his lap, trying to console him and after what seemed like hours, they both finally fell asleep.

***

"Pokéball, go!"  Ash exclaimed as he threw the ball at his target.  But the pokéball turned into a rock and hit the ground with a thud.  "Huh?"  Ash looked around for the Pokémon he was trying to catch, but it was nowhere in sight.  He couldn't even remember what it was.  Pikachu, who'd been beside him a moment ago, was now also gone.  "Pikachu?  Where did you go?"  All of a sudden, a Psyduck came out from behind a tree and stood in front of him.  It spoke in English.  "Don't throw rocks, Bob."  "My name isn't Bob, it's—"  "Ash…" He turned around to find Misty standing behind him.  "Misty!  You finally came home!"  "Ash?  Misty seemed to look right through him.  "Ash, where are you?"  "What?" Ash asked, puzzled.  "Misty, I'm right here."  "Ash?"  Her voice echoed in his ears…

***

"Ash…" Misty said weakly.  Ash awoke from his dream and found himself looking over at her.  "Misty!" He exclaimed as he scrambled from his place and sat beside her.  He replaced the cold compress on her forehead.  "Do you remember what happened?"  Misty thought for a moment.  "Beedrill…"  "Yeah, you got stung,"Ash finished for her.  "But don't worry.  Brock went to the next town to get the antidote.  He should be there by now.  Here, you need to eat something," He said, handing her a rice ball.  Misty shook her head at the food.  "How much time…?" She asked.  "What do you mean?" Ash responded.  "How much time…do I have?"  "Misty, don't…" Ash began.  "You're going to be fine!"  He smiled, trying to reassure her.  "I know you think I'm stupid Ash Ketchum, but I know very well that a poison sting attack is _fatal_ to humans."  Ash shook his head.  "Misty I don't think your stupid," He said, ignoring the other part of what she said.  "I never have.  When we fight, sometimes…I say some things I don't mean.  I'm sorry…"  Misty looked a little shocked.  "…I'm sorry too, Ash.  I'm just as guilty as you are.  I guess we just drive each other a little crazy."  They both smiled at this.  Just then, Misty gasped in pain.  "What's wrong?"  Ash asked her worriedly.  "It…hurts…" Misty barely managed to choke out.  Ash didn't know what to do, so he grabbed her hand and squeezed it as she cried.  Misty eventually exhausted herself and fell unconscious again.  Ash kissed her forehead and lay down, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

***

Misty was the first to awaken.  She blushed when she noticed Ash's position and regretfully shook him awake.  "No…stop…leave her alone…" Ash mumbled.  "Ash," Misty said gently.  "Huh?"  He woke up.  "Oh…hey Misty.  Feeling any better?"  She looked down.  "…No…Hey, what were you dreaming about?"  She asked him, trying to change the subject.  "Oh…umm, I don't remember," Ash lied.  He looked at his watch distractedly and his eyes widened in fear.  "Four hours…" He said quietly.  There was no point in denying it now.  If Brock wasn't back in four hours, Misty would be dead.  "I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life…" Misty sighed.  Ash became even more frightened now. He grabbed a pokéball from his belt and threw it into the air.  "Noctowl!  Go find Brock!  We need him here as soon as possible!"  The Pokémon obediently flew in the direction of the nearest town.  "There," Ash said.  "Now maybe we can get some idea of how close he is…" His voice trailed off as he realized Misty wasn't even awake anymore.  Ash sighed, and decided to eat something.  All he could find were rice balls, which he didn't even like…but they were better than nothing.  "_Come on Brock, hurry!_"  He mentally urged his friend on.

***

About two hours later, Ash heard the call of his Noctowl, accompanied by Brock's voice.  He immediately jumped up and ran toward them.  "You made it!  Good job, Noctowl!  Return!"  Ash and Brock ran toward Misty.  "How is she?"  Brock asked.  "She's been in and out," Ash replied.  "But she seems to have gotten worse over the past couple of hours."  "We'd better get this into her," Brock said as he pulled a hypodermic needle out of his backpack.  "It has to be injected directly into the bloodstream, so it will take immediate effect."  He stuck the needle in Misty's arm and slowly injected the orange-coloured liquid.  "There," He said as he finished.  "She'll be fine now.  "Ash smiled in relief and again took his place beside her.  Brock decided to get some sleep, having gotten none on his trip.

***

After breakfast the next morning, Misty approached Ash.  "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  She asked.  "Sure, Mist," He replied as he followed her down to the lake.  "So, what's up?"  "I just wanted to thank you…for everything you did.  I don't know what I'd do without you, Ash," She smiled warmly.  "Misty…I would do absolutely _anything_ for you.  You're my best friend," He said as he leaned over to kiss her cheek.  Then he whispered in her ear, "…And I love you."  Misty blushed at this, but continued smiling.  "I love you too, Ash."  "And by the way, Misty…don't give up on Psyduck so easily.  I think there's more to it than meets the eye."  She gave him an odd look, but he put his arm around her and walked with her back to the campsite.

~Owari

A/N:  Sorry for the lack of Togepi.  I really tried to keep all the Pokémon in this one…I dunno how I forgot.  Owel.  ^^;


End file.
